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Tennessee basketball: Ranking Vols 10 homes wins vs. top 5 Kentucky teams

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 24: Tennessee Volunteers players celebrate after defeating the Kentucky Wildcats at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 24, 2017 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee defeated Kentucky 82-80. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 24: Tennessee Volunteers players celebrate after defeating the Kentucky Wildcats at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 24, 2017 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee defeated Kentucky 82-80. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images
Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images /

5. Feb. 27, 2010

Tennessee basketball had already beaten the No. 1 ranked Kansas Jayhawks without four guys on the roster due to suspensions. By this point, three were back, but their best player, Tyler Smith, had been dismissed from the program. Still, they somehow came together with that drama.

The Vols entered the game 20-7 and 8-5 in the SEC while the Kentucky Wildcats, in their first year under John Calipari, were 27-1 and 12-1 in the SEC and had already beaten the Vols by double digits. But Bruce Pearl’s kids used their aggression to build an 11-point lead at halftime. That lead extended to 19 points at one point in the second half.

Kentucky made a furious comeback and tied it up at 65 with two minutes to go. But then J.P. Prince, of all people, stepped up. He gave them the lead back with a bucket, then played lockdown defense, allowing Scottie Hopson to give the Vols a five-point lead after a three. Prince then hit  four straight free throws, and the Vols beat the No. 2 team after already beating the No. 1 team.

This was indicative of what would happen in the postseason. UT got blown out 74-45 by Kentucky in the SEC Tournament. But then it had its best NCAA Tournament run ever, making the Elite Eight before losing by one point to the Michigan State Spartans.

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